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(No ModeL) '2 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. J. SMITH & J. F. McEVOY. CONVERTIBLESTREET GAR.

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PATENT PHILIP J. SMITH, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, AND JOHN F. MCEVOY, OF

- BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK.

CONVERTIBLE STREET-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,130, dated October19, 1886.

Application filed July 29,1886. Serial No. 209,445. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, PHILIP J. SMITH, of Long Island City, in the countyof Queens and State of New York, and JOHN F. MoEvoY, of Brooklyn. in thecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedConvertible StreetOar, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

Our invention relates to a car whose sides may be raised to a positionat the top of the car and lowered therefrom to close the sides of thebody of the car, so it can be readily converted into an open or closedcar as the season and weather require.

The invention consists of the construction, arrangemenhand combinationof the parts of the car, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification,- in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of our new car as it appears with the sideselevated and the side steps lowered. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of thesame, showing the aisle seats in position. Fig. Sis a. transversesectional eleva tion of the car, one side being closed, the other open.Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the aisle-seats folded, and Fig.5 is a View of the key for turning the shafts.

The bottom A, roof B, end walls, 0, and platforms D of the cawbody maybe of the usual or of any approved construction. The platforms areprovided at each side with a permanent step, D. Framed into and betweenthe end walls, 0, are the open side frames, E E, each composed of abottom bar. a, top bar, I), and uprights c c. p The frames E are set insomewhat from the edges of the end walls, so the outer surfaces of theside pieces, F,when lowered will be flush,or nearly so,with the edges ofthe end walls. The upper bars, I), of the side frames, E, stand belowthe roof of the car, so that the side pieces, F, maybe carried over thetop bars to occupy a horizon-- tal or nearly horizontal position beneaththe roof, as indicated in Fig. 8. The side pieces, F, are panels ofsuitable width and length formed with numerous windows, f, and they areeach attached at their ends to endless chains G H for raising andlowering the side pieces. The endless chains G- are passed oversprocket-wheels and pulleys secured upon the shafts J and K, the formerjournaled in the end walls near the roof, the latter journaled in theend walls immediately over and in line with the top bar, b, on that sideof the ear. The endless chains H are passed oversprock etwheels andpulleys secured upon the shafts L and M, the former journaled in the endwalls of the car a short distance from and a little below the shaft K,the latter immediately over and in line with the opposite top bar, b.The shafts J L are each provided at their ends with a ratchet-wheel, d,with which reverse-pawls e engage, and with which also the spurs s ofthe pawl S of the key S engage for turning the shafts for raising andlowering the side pieces, F. The spaces between the upper edges of theside pieces, F, when lowered and the roof of the car are closed bypanels N, attached to the eaves of the roof, and these are hinged toswing outward, so they will not interfere with the side pieces, F,passing the pulleys of the shaftsK M, in opening and closing the sidesof the car.

0 0 represent the continuous side steps of the car. These are eachcomposed of a board, 0, secured to a shaft, P, and a foot-piece or step,0, hinged to the board 0, so that it is adapted to stand at right anglesto the board 0, as shown at the right in Fig.2, or folded flat againstthe board 0, so as not to interfere with the latter being folded up tovertical position against the body of the car, as shown at the left inFig. 3.

The shafts P are provided at each end with a ratchet-wheel, h, withwhich the reversepawls h are adapted to engage for locking theshafts-and to these shafts the key S may be applied for turning theshafts for raising and lowering the steps.

The seats Q Q in the car are permanent and transversely arranged, and donotreach to the center of the car, so that when only these seats areused, as when the ear is closed, there is a center aisle for passengersand the conductor to pass through the car.

\Vhen the car is used as an open car the aisle is closed by removableseats It, placed between and the seat portion c --and these are hingedtogether, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the seat can be folded against oneside of the back and the leg portion against the other. The size of theseats, R is made to exactl y fit between the adjacent ends of thepermanent seats Q, and thus when in place form continuous seats acrossthe car. V

The key S (shown in Fig. 5) is provided with the spring-pawl S,formed'with side spurs, s, which are adapted to engage with the teeth ofthe ratchet-wheels upon the shafts. The end ofthe key is formed with aneye, 3 to fit upon the shaft loosely, so the key willturn easily on theshafts; and in order to relieve the hinges of strain when lowered foruse, we secure to the edges of the boards 0 the rests t, and also to theedges of the boards 0 the rests t, which act to braceand support theboards 0 when the steps are lowered to position for use.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent end walls of the car, in combination with theshafts K M, journaled at the upper edges of the open l'rames E, theshafts L J,journaled at opposite sides ot'the center of the ear, the endless chains G H, and the side pieces, F, attached to the chains,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The panels N, hinged to the roof of the provided with the rests t,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The steps 0, composed of the boards 0 0, hin ed together, the board 0being attached to the car by a rod on which it is adapted to swing,substantially as described.

PHILIP J. SMITH. JOHN F. MOEVOY.

Witnesses:

Jos. METZGER, OWEN CLARKE.

